Means for securing ring gaskets in closure caps



J. BELADA Sept. 21, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 16, 1946 a x w 4 1 1 a I C 1 a .1 IH I l 1 1 h .u 1 7 fl 4 5 J Wm M m Sept. 21, 1954 BELADA 2,689,595

MEANS FOR SECURING RING GASKETS IN CLOSURE CAPS Original Filed Feb. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x 1' B I/ I 1 grvuwvm c 162 MWNBELADA Patented Sept. 21, 1954 MEANS FOR SECURING RING GASKETS IN CLOSURE CAPS John Belada, Glassboro, N. J., assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application February 16, 1946, Serial No.

648,053, now Patent No. 2,567,094, dated September 4, 1951. Divided and this application August 4,1950, Serial No. 177,609

My invention relates to apparatus for securing ring gaskets or liners in metal caps used as closures for jars, bottles, or other containers. The invention is particularly adapted for use with flanged metal caps of the side seal type wherein a ring gasket of rubber or the like is secured within the cap by spinning the edge portion of the cap flange over the outer marginal portion of the 'ring gasket. The invention provides a spinningmechanism comprising a pad for supporting the cap in inverted position, meansfor clamping the cap on the pad, expansible J'aws positioned and arranged to seat within the cap and provide a support for the ring gasket, and means for spinning the free edge portion of the cap flange over the outer edge of the gasket, thereby securely holding the gasket.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate spinning mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the spinning mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the spinning units and the cap supporting means therebeneath.

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 but on a larger scale and with the parts in the positions assumed during the spinning operation.

Fig. 4 is a section at the line 44 on Fig. 3.

The present application is a'divisio'n of my co-pending application, Serial Number 648,053, filed February 16, 1946, Machines for Assembling Caps and Liners, on which Patent 2,567,094 was granted September 4, 1951. f V

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism includes a center column 51 bolted to atable 42 and having journaled therein a vertical spindle 58,, Surrounding the column and mounted for rotation thereon is a carriage 59 to which is attached aseries of individual spinning units 35 for rotation therewith about the center column 51, The carriage is rotated continuously by an electric motor having driving connections therewith through a train of gearing including a'drive shaft 62, spur gear 63 and a ring gear 64 attached to the carriage. The center spindle 58 is also continuously rotated in synchronism with the rotation of the carriage. The shaft 62 and spindle 58 maybe driven at the same angular speed, preferably through interconnected gearing including a gear 66 and other gearing (not shown). Keyed to the spindle 58 near the upper end thereof, is a gear wheel 61 which runs in mesh .with spur gears 68 individual to the spinning units 35. 'Each of said units includes a vertical 7 Claims. (Cl. 153-1) 2 tubular shaft 69 to which a gear 68 is attached, the shaft 69 being mounted in a carrier I50 bolted to the carriage 59. Each tubular shaft 69 carries a spinning head 10 attached to the lower end of the shaft. The gearing is so proportioned that the spindles 69 are rotated about their own axes at a high speed as compared with their revolution about the axis of the center shaft 58.

The spinning mechanism is designed for securing ring gaskets or liners B in position in the closure caps C. Each cap during the spinning operation is supported in inverted position on a holding disc or pad I54. The cap is preferably made of sheet metal and comprises a fiat circular top I0, the marginal skirt or flange II, the lower portion I2 of which is flared to provide an inclined supporting surface for the ring gasket B. Each spinning head ID has mounted therein a collapsible and expansible pad H for holding an assembled cap and gasket during the spinning operation. The caps with the gaskets assembled and loosely held therein are fed to the spinning units by means including a transfer disc 33 (Fig. 1). Each of the pads H comprises 4 arc-shaped jaws I42, each jaw having an upwardly extending shank I43. The jaws swing radially on pivots I44 by which they are mounted on a central hub I45, the shanks being housed in recesses formed in the hub. Coil compression springs I46 swing the jaws about their pivots to collapse the pad. The hub- I45 is attached to the lower end of a shaft I 41 by means of a screw-threaded stud I48 formed on the shaft. The shaft and the attached pad II are mounted for vertical movement, relative tothe head 10. r I I The shafts 69 which carry the heads III are rotatably mounted in the carriers I50. Each spinning head I0 has mounted therein an annular series of rolls'I5I, the latter journaled on stud shafts I52. Each roll is formed with a pcripheral groove I53 in position to receive the raw edge of a cap flange and is shaped to gradually spin said edge inwardly into gripping engagefnent with 'the ring gasket as the spinning head rotates and the cap is being gradually moved upward as presently described. The cap, as before noted, is supported during the spinning operation on the pad I54. The pad is formed on the upper end of a vertical stem I55 mounted for limitedup-and-down movement relative to the carriage 59. A cam follower roll I56 on the stem I55 runs on a cam track I51, which is shaped to lift the pad during a spinning operation from its lowered position to a lifted position, said positions being shown at the right and the left respectively in Fig. 1. A coil compression spring I58 serves to lower the pad I54. Rotation of the pad about its vertical axis is prevented by a screwthreaded pin I59, which engages a vertical slot in the stem I55.

The shaft 141 has a steam I4'Ia of reduced diameter (Fig. 1) extending upwardly through the tubular shaft 69 and through a head I4'Ib, the latter being secured to the upper end portion of the shaft 69. A coil spring I4Ic mounted on the stem is held under compression between the head M122 and a shoulder on the shaft I41, thereby yieldingly holding the expansible pad in its lowered position relative to the spinning head. Such position is adjustable by means of adjusting nuts I4Id.

Mounted in a recess in the hub I of the expansible pad H is a cylindrical cap holder or clamping block I6I adapted to contact the cap C supported on" the pad I54 as the latter is lifted, thereby gripping and holding the cap in position during the spinning operation. The holder I6I has a limited vertical movement within the hub I45 and is held in its lowered position by a coil compression spring I60. As the pad I54 with a cap thereon is lifted by its cam, the holder [6| engages the cap just before the latter is brought into contact with the expansible jaws I42 and then holds the cap while the jaws are expanded or swing outwardly by the upward pressure of the cap thereagainst, thus swinging the jaws to their expanded position shown in Fig. 3. With the jaws in this expanded position, recessed holding surfaces I62 formed in the jaws, provide a shoulder which engages the lower margin or edge of the ring gasket and thereby holds the gasket in position during the spinning operation.

After the spinning is completed, the pad I54 is moved downward. The shaft I41 and expansible pad II carried thereby, also move downward a short distance under the expansive pressure of the coil spring I4Ic, such movement being limited by the stop nut I4Id. The pad I54, as it continues its downward movement, releases the jaws I42 which are then collapsed by the expansion of the springs I46 and thereby release the cap. At the same time, the coil spring I60 force the holder I6I downwardly relative to the jaws I42, thereby assisting in freeing the cap.

It will be seen that the shoulders I62 on the expansible jaws I42 provide a rigid support for the ri gas et in e s n in o era ion and provide a positive means for holding the gasket in a predetermined position with its inner margin spaced an exact predetermined distance fro t e bodv f t e c n e ap is desi ned for attachmentto a container of the side seal type formed with a recess inthe exterior surface of the container neck to receive the free edge of the gasket when the cap is in sealing position on the container. The positive and uniform spacingof the free edges of the ring gaskets in the manner above described is of importance in attaining uniform and reliable sealin of the caps on the containers. 7 Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for securing a ring gasket within a sheet metal cap comprising a circular body and a depending circumferential skirt or flange, said apparatus comprising a supporting pad having a horizontal supporting surface on which a cap is supported in inverted position an 8X:

pansible pad, means for mounting the expansible pad for up and down movement relative to said supporting pad, said expansible pad comprising a hub, vertically disposed jaws pivoted to said hub, said jaws having holding surfaces which together form an approximately complete circumferential holding surface which, when the jaws are expanded, provides a support for a ring gasket placed loosely on edge within the cap, means for moving the expansible pad toward the said supporting pad and thereby bringing the jaws into engagement with said cap and swinging the jaws to their expanded position to support the gasket along its lower edge at a predetermined distance above the bottom of the inverted cap, a spinning head mounted for rotation about the vertical axis of the cap while the latter is supported on said supporting pad, and means carried by said spinning head for spinning the free edge of the cap skirt into gripping engagement with the outer edge portion of the ring gasket.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, said apparatus comprising a clamping block mounted within a recess formed in said hub and having a lost motion connection with the hub permitting relative up and down movement of the hub and clamping block, spring means for yieldingly holding the clamping block in its lowered position relative to said hub, said clamping block being in position to be brought into engagement with the inner surface of the cap body as the pads are moved toward each other and thereby grip the cap body between said clamping block and said supporting Dad.

3. The combination of a pad forming a sups port for a circular flanged cap placed in in.- verted position thereon and having therein a liner ring, a spinning head mounted above and in line with said pad, an expansible holding device mounted in said head and comprising holding jaws pivoted to swing inwardly and out.- wardly for contracting and expanding said device, means for effecting relative movement of the spinning head and pad toward each other and thereby causing the jaws to enter the cap, said holding device being vertically movable rela= tive to the spinning head, said jaws being positioned to engage the cap during the vertical movement of the holding device relative to the spinning head and operable by the pressure of the cap during said vertical movement to cause the holding device to expand and hold a ring in position in the cap, and spinning rolls mounted on said head in position to engage the .cap flange and spin it into gripping engagement with the ring during said relative movement of the spins ning head and pad. I I

4. Apparatus for securing a ring gasket to a sheet m'etal circular cap having an annular depending marginal flange, said apparatus compris ing a lower pad forming a support on which the cap is held in inverted position, means, for clamp;- ing the cap to said pad, said clamping means comprising an expansible pad mounted over said lower pad and comprising a hub, jaws pivoted to said hub and formed with holdingsurfaces which, when the pad is expanded, form an approximately circular holding surface in position to engage the lower edge of a ring gasket positioned within the cap and lining the inner surface of the cap flange, means for moving said lower pad and cap thereon vertically relative to the expansible pad and bringing the jaws into engagement with said cap and thereby expanding the pad and bringing the jaws into position to support the gasket along the lower edge thereof and hold the gasket spaced a predetermined distance above the body of the cap, and means for spinning the outer edge of the flange into gripping engagement with the gasket while the latter is supported on said holding surface.

5. Apparatus for securing a ring gasket within a sheet metal cap comprising a circular body and a depending circumferential skirt or flange, said apparatus comprising a supporting pad having a horizontal supporting surface on which a cap is supported in inverted position, an expansible pad, means for mounting the expansible pad for up and down movement relative to said supporting pad, said expansible pad comprising a hub, vertically disposed jaws pivoted to said hub, said jaws having holding surfaces which together form an approximately complete circumferential holding surface which, when the jaws are expanded, provides a support for a ring .gasket placed loosely on edge within the cap with its lower edge bearing against said circumferential holding surface thereby supporting the gasket with the latter spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom of the inverted cap, a spinning head mounted for rotation about the vertical axis of the cap while the latter is supported on said supporting pad, means for moving the expansible pad toward and from the said supporting pad, said jaws having feet extending radially outward with their bottom surfaces downwardly and outwardly inclined and positioned to be engaged by the cap when the pads are moved toward each other and to thereby swing the jaws to their expanded position and grip the body of the gap between said jaws and the said supporting pad, and means carriedby said spinning head for spinning the free edge of the cap skirt into gripping engagement with the outer edge portion of the ring gasket.

6. Apparatus for securing ring gaskets within caps of sheetmaterial formed with marginal depending skirts or flanges, said apparatus comprising a pad having a horizontal supporting surface on which a cap is supported in inverted position, a spinning head mounted above and in line with said pad and for up-and-down movement relative to the pad, a hub mounted within said head for limited up-and-down movement relative to said head, means for resiliently holding said hub in its lowermost position relative to said head, vertically disposed jaws pivoted to said hub, said jaws having holding surfaces which, when the jaws are expanded, form an approximately comin its lowered position relative to said hub, said clamping block being in position to be brought into engagement with the inner surface of the cap body as the pad and head are moved toward each other and thereby grip the cap body between said clamping block and supporting pad, said jaws having feet extending radially outward with their bottom surfaces downwardly and outwardl inclined and positioned to be engaged by the cap when the pad is further moved toward the head and to thereby swing the jaws to their expanded position and grip the body of the cap between said jaws and the said supporting pad, and means carried by the spinning head for spinning the free edge of the cap skirt into gripping engagement with the outer edge portion of the ring gasket.

7. Apparatus for securing ring gaskets within caps of sheet material formed with marginal depending skirts or flanges, said apparatus comprising a pad mounted to provide .a support for a cap seated in inverted position thereon, an expansible holding device comprising holding jaws pivoted to swing inwardly and outwardly for contracting and expanding said device, said jaws being formed with arcuate contacting surfaces, means for positioning said device within an inverted cap seated on said pad with said contacting surfaces spaced from the body of the cap, said jaws being pivoted into expanded position by the positioning of the holding device to support a ring gasket seated thereon within the cap, and means for spinning the free edge of the cap skirt around the outer marginal edge of the said gasket and thereby securing the gasket within the cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 620,398 Zeh Feb. 28, 1899 1,405,738 Ramsey Feb. 7, 1922 1,440,143 Guenther Dec. 26, 1922 1,585,820 Baum May 25, 1926 2,052,620 Guenther Sept. 1, 1936 2,520,315 Jahr Aug. 29, 1950 

